About Erika

Erika is originally from Durango, Mexico but immigrated to Mesa, Arizona when she was 11 years old together with her family.

Erika is one of the co-founders of DRM Capitol Group and the Arizona Dream Act Coalition (ADAC), which is an umbrella organization of groups and individuals across the state of Arizona who are interested in fighting for the welfare of immigrant students. Erika was voted to be the first President and lead organizer of the coalition where she had the opportunity to help mobilize hundreds of students to fight for the passage of the DREAM Act legislation. Erika is also part of Cadena, which is a group of educators and students whose main purpose is to protect undocumented students from deportation and to promote the passage of the DREAM Act in Arizona.

Andiola knows personally that if immigrants are to succeed, more people will have to take more risks, spend more time fighting, and bear the ugly sting of rejection many more times. But as one Arizonan described her, Andiola is a young woman who is both fearless and gently persuasively in her approach. She never tires, never quits. Despite losing her scholarships, after Arizona passed anti-immigration laws, Andiola graduated from Arizona State University with a B.A. degree in Psychology in spring 2009.

From LaBloga:Erika Andiola is a long-time activist of immigrant rights who has worked tirelessly as a DREAMer. She has been a prominent voice in the struggle and was a Psychology major at Arizona State University. She is one of many who have been spared from deportation when President Obama signed a reprieve last summer for DREAMers. Now friends and DREAMers have been saying that because of her activism, because she is outspoken, ICE has come for her family members.

My mother is the most precious thing I have in my life. Maria Arreola, my loving mother, risked her life in (YEAR SHE LEFT MEXICO) when she left my abusive father and migrated to the U.S. seeking safety for her children and herself.

Last night, Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE), trespassed into to my home without a warrant and apprehended my mother. My brother, who was next door at a friends house, was also handcuffed and taken by ICE.

I can't believe I am living this nightmare. I need your help! I cannot begin to imagine what my life would be without my mother. Right now your voice is the only thing that can help keep my family together.

We have to end this now. Help us keep this family together.

Thank you,Erika Andiola

Erika described in her tweets how ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) showed up at her home undercover. They knocked on the door and requested to talk with Erika’s mother, María. It was not until María was at the door, that they took out their handcuffs and arrested her. They also arrested and hauled away her older brother.

Erika tweeted: “We need to stop separating families. This is real. This is so real. This is not just happening to me, this is happening to families everywhere.”

Elise Foley from the Huffington Post wrote: “ICE’s move was somewhat surprising given the relative safety of many high-profile undocumented immigrants. As Dreamers in particular have “come out” en masse as undocumented, many have been spared by ICE . . . But that doesn’t mean deportations have stopped, or that outspoken undocumented immigrants and their families are exempt from deportation. The Obama administration broke its record for deportations this year, removing 409, 849 immigrants from the country.” (Click here for full article and Erika's YouTube posting)

Cristina Jimenez, Managing Director of United We Dream wrote, “This action by ICE has shocked DREAMers all across the country. Advocates across the country are expressing outrage and denouncing the detention of Erika’s mother and calling for an end to all family separations.”

Marielena Hincapié, Executive Director of the National Immigration Law Center wrote: “The Andiola family is just another example of the cost of the broken system that continues to hurt millions of immigrants across the country. We cannot keep fixing this one worker, one family member at a time. While we wait for immigration reform, the President can act now so that millions of immigrants do not have to live in constant fear of deportation.”

Frank Sharry, Executive Director of America’s Voice Education Fund wrote: “This is not an isolated incident: this happens every day. We salute the amazing work of DREAMers and allies who mobilized in this case, but enforcement actions like this happen outside the spotlight every day. This is what 400,000 deportations look like . . . despite existing prosecutorial discretion policy, officers on the ground seem much more focused on filling the annual deportation quota than in following the President’s priorities. It’s ridiculous to think we’re spending billions of dollars arresting people . . .” (see article here)

On Friday morning, Erika’s mother and brother were released. Erika spoke on Friday afternoon and described how ICE agents had threatened her brother. “My brother told me that not only did ICE have profiles of my mother and brother but also of me, and they told him, ‘We know all about your sister, we know about what your sister does, and you should get away from that.’” Erika is one of the very few, who, because she is solidly connected to activist, organizing groups, because she is known in the struggle for immigration, the outcome (for now) is a happy one. But most do not see their family members released.

I think of the Postville Raid in Iowa and similar ICE raids throughout the Midwest, in Colorado, and all those children waiting for parents to come home. Imagine your family suddenly disappearing and you have no idea where they are, how to get in touch with them. For many weeks after the Postville Raids, families in Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, were literally sleeping in the cornfields, in fear. How are we seen by other countries when they see how we treat families, with no regard for children and their well being? And yet, our country benefits from the undocumented worker.